A twin engine small transport while taxiing during a heavy thunderstorm at night struck taxiway ligh...

Attributes
ACN	375506
Time
Date	199708
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbi
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	375506
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight originated at buf, fuel stop at pzk and arrived pbi area approximately XA30 local. WX was 800 ft ceiling, 3/4 mi visibility, level 4 thunderstorm, 20 KT windshear on final. Pilot flew ILS approach to runway 9L, noticed taxi light was inoperative after touchdown. Light had checked ok at buf preflight. Pilot turned off runway to unfamiliar taxiway. Pilot's turnoff was hurried somewhat by tower due to DC9 traffic on final. Tower instructed pilot to remain on frequency for taxi. Pilot experienced some disorientation with taxiway light pattern, due to intersecting taxiway and lack of taxi light. Heavy rain restr visibility. After discharging passenger, pilot flew to home base omn. On jul/xx/97, mechanic discovered damage to right and left propellers (2 blades each propeller). Pilot noticed serrated pattern on edge of 1 blade that appeared similar to shape of runway/taxiway edge lighting. Pilot may have struck light(south) when turning off runway. Situation occurred due to pilot fatigue, WX, equipment failure (taxi light) and confusing taxiway light pattern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TWIN ENG SMT WHILE TAXIING DURING A HVY TSTM AT NIGHT STRUCK TXWY LIGHTS DAMAGING THE L AND R PROP BLADES. RPTR CITES HIS TAXI LIGHT AS BEING INOP.

Narrative: FLT ORIGINATED AT BUF, FUEL STOP AT PZK AND ARRIVED PBI AREA APPROX XA30 LCL. WX WAS 800 FT CEILING, 3/4 MI VISIBILITY, LEVEL 4 TSTM, 20 KT WINDSHEAR ON FINAL. PLT FLEW ILS APCH TO RWY 9L, NOTICED TAXI LIGHT WAS INOP AFTER TOUCHDOWN. LIGHT HAD CHKED OK AT BUF PREFLT. PLT TURNED OFF RWY TO UNFAMILIAR TXWY. PLT'S TURNOFF WAS HURRIED SOMEWHAT BY TWR DUE TO DC9 TFC ON FINAL. TWR INSTRUCTED PLT TO REMAIN ON FREQ FOR TAXI. PLT EXPERIENCED SOME DISORIENTATION WITH TXWY LIGHT PATTERN, DUE TO INTERSECTING TXWY AND LACK OF TAXI LIGHT. HVY RAIN RESTR VISIBILITY. AFTER DISCHARGING PAX, PLT FLEW TO HOME BASE OMN. ON JUL/XX/97, MECH DISCOVERED DAMAGE TO R AND L PROPS (2 BLADES EACH PROP). PLT NOTICED SERRATED PATTERN ON EDGE OF 1 BLADE THAT APPEARED SIMILAR TO SHAPE OF RWY/TXWY EDGE LIGHTING. PLT MAY HAVE STRUCK LIGHT(S) WHEN TURNING OFF RWY. SIT OCCURRED DUE TO PLT FATIGUE, WX, EQUIP FAILURE (TAXI LIGHT) AND CONFUSING TXWY LIGHT PATTERN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

A twin engine small transport while taxiing during a heavy thunderstorm at night struck taxiway lights damaging the left and right propeller blades. Reporter cites his taxi light as being inoperative.